NCF aims to improve cancer care by providing easily accessible tools

Sep 15 2009

The NavigateCancer Foundation (NCF), a nonprofit staffed by oncology professionals, provides patient advocacy tools and services for cancer patients and families, is filling an especially vital role as the ranks of the unemployed and uninsured steadily swell. Since launching in 2008, NCF’s experienced and credentialed clinical staff has helped hundreds of adult cancer patients and families understand and improve their cancer care. The personalized services allow patients to learn about their specific disease and navigate their way through diagnosis, treatment and survivorship to make it easy for them to create a plan of action and ensure that the best medical decisions are made.

“At times like this, it’s hard enough for many people to simply get by, much less deal with the devastating diagnosis of cancer,” said NCF co-founder Sharon M. Bigelow, an advanced oncology certified nurse practitioner. “We strive to be the one place that someone can go – no matter what their economic, geographic or social situation – to get free, unbiased, caring and confidential help in all aspects and duration of their disease and treatment.”

Statistics show that the uninsured, underinsured and those patients with low income or education levels are more likely to die from cancer than those with adequate resources and education. Also included in this category are patients who live far from healthcare services. The lack of available resources affects the quality of treatment they receive. The foundation was formed to mitigate the impact of shrinking health-care resources. While everyone has access to some type of care and assistance, NCF is the only organization of its kind that offers 100 percent professional help, and will help patients advocate for themselves regardless of their circumstances.

“The NavigateCancer Foundation is filling a critical gap for the underserved and vulnerable populations,” said Dr. Paul Godley, a Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and Director of the UNC Program on Ethnicity, Culture and Health Outcomes (ECHO) “The health disparities that continue to exist among the less-educated, uninsured and in rural and minority populations are alarming and those affected need access to state-of-the-art cancer services to help break down these barriers.”

Supported by private donations and grants, NCF aims to improve cancer care by providing easily accessible tools and services to promote self-advocacy and supplement the care patients receive from their medical professionals.

http://www.navigatecancerfoundation.org/